Wall heater



Jane 16, '1953 J; H. HOLLINGSWORTH ETAL 2,642,270

WALL HEATER Filed May is, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet l FIG. 2.

INVENTORS. JOHN H. HOLL/NGSWORTH KARL L. BEDELL ATTORNEY June 16, 1953 J. H. HOLLINGSWORTIH ETAL WALL HEATER 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed May 15, 1950' INVENTORS. JOHN HQHOLL/NGSWORTH KARL ATTORNEY L. BEDELL Patentecl June 16, 19 53 .MUNIITED STAT S ETENT I WALL HEATER John Plillolling sworth, Altadena, and Karl L.- Bedell, Pasadena,Calif., assignors to Holly Manufacturing Company, Pasadena, Calif.,' a

ccrporation'ofCalifornia 1 a Ap i i uMayls; i950; SerialNo. 162,022

29 Claims. reezer-13c This invention is concerned'with wall heaters and particularly with heaters placed in a wall between rooms or other spacesfto be heated. The invention provides improved structures whereby heated air maybe allowed to flow in both direc v tionsorin either. 4

v Wall heaters customarily comprise 'a shallow chamber orshell at least partially set into a wall.

A radiator or combustion chamber is mounted inthe chamber, usually with space on all" sides. Gaseous fuel'is burned in the radiator; which heats a current of air flowing upthrough the chamber. "Thecombustion products from. the i11- 'terior of'the radiator are'discharged intoa fiue extending above the chamberand usually enclosed in the wall. The air heated in mechaniber is'discharged through oneor more openings flow in either'direct ion airfrises upwardly as it is heated. The interior lithe radiator is connected to a r'lueflby ahollow upwardly extending portion, but there is a window running from 'front to back connecting the or passages leading outwardly through the wa'lls into the adjacent roomorroomsb r "When two spaces (say rooms) on opposite sides oi". the wall are to be-heatedgit isdesirable to provide 'dainper meansso that either one or the other-10f the passages orregisters can be wholly or partially closed, thus distributingthefiow of hot air to the spaces in any desired ratio or en-' tirely cutting off the flow to one of. the rooms and. permitting hot air from both-.thefrontand the back of the radiatorto pass outthe passage which is not closed. Dampers are suitable for I this purpose, provided thatthey are so arranged that the flow. of. heat to the rooms cannot be interrupted to an excessive degree, which may cause overheating of the wall and burningof combustible materials employed in its construction. Frequently, it is desirable to construct the hassages which project through the wall from the,

heater chambersof' different cross section,, tor'.

example, a large passageway opening into a hall and a small passageway opening into .anadjdinin'g room. This complicates thebroblemof controlling the flow of hot 'air with dampers, for a a exits from a'wall' furnace willnot be closed siniultaneously, with resultant elimination offire hazard from such a" happening. Moreover, our

two ducts, and outlets for hot air are disposed in'the two sides of the 'wall adjacent the window I and opening from. the chamber respectively through the two. sides of the wall. ,,A damper structure is'hung from a-hinge adjacent the dew and is adapted to swing through the window toward one hot air outlet or away from it toward the other hot air outlet, so that air from both 1 front and rear of the radiator may be diverted to one orthe outlets while the other is at least partially closed.. When the hot air is to flow throughboth outlets, the damper structure hangs more or less vertically, and may, in fact, closeithe window, inwhich case the hot air from. the rear space in the :chamber passes. outtherear outlet while the hot air from the front space-in the chamber passes out the other outlet. y

In the preferred apparatus of our invention, two dampers are hung adjacent the window. The two passageways which discharge hot air from the chamber in opposite directionsareadjacent thedampers-and the-,Window. The latter may be defined by the top of the main radiator shell; two spaced pipes projecting up-from the shell;- and a header orilue with which the pipes connect. One of the dampers is small enough to swing in the window, touch'the second damper; and move it outto block, atileast partially, the

, air passage adjacent the second damper, which damper structure is'suchthatit doesnot ihtrfere with normal hot air 'fi0W wheninianeutral position, but is easily regulated to adjust hot'air may be substantially larger than 'the'firSt-siIiC it does not have to swing through thewin'dow.

To assure that the secondidamper will notin- I terfere with heat fiow whenit is in'n'eutralposiktion,.it may have a cut-out portion of such size. andposition'that it is closed, or at. least partially closed, when the firstdamper is movedinto' 'contact'withit. y.

These and other-aspects of our invention will be clearin the light or the following detailed de-J scription; of presently preferred forms of our damper structure incorporated in a wall heater The description is illustrated by the accompanying drawings, in which:

Fig. 1 is a fragmentary front elevation, partly in section, of a wall heater equipped with a damper arrangement of our invention.

Fig. 2 is a verticalsection through the apparatus of Fig. 1, along the line 22; I

Fig. 3 is a plan section through the apparatus of Fig. 1, along the line 3-3;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary isometric phantom view of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 3;

Fig. 5 is an isometric view of a damper support clip employed in the apparatus of. the foregoing figures; and

Fig. 6 is a vertical section taken through a modification of the apparatus of Figs. 1 to 5.

In the apparatus illustrated in Figs. 1 to 5, a wall heater I8 is mounted in a wall ii. The

heater comprises an elongated sheet metal box chamber [5 is disposed centrally in the jacket so H that there is an annular space around its sides, front and back through which the heated air can rise to the outlet ducts. This space can be considered as comprising front and rear ducts through which air rises upwardly as it is heated. The radiator is heated on the inside by rising gases of combustion from a gas burner (not shown) disposed at its bottom, and discharges these combustion products into a conventional draft hood or diverter l6, which in turn discharges to a flue enclosed in the wall above the heater.

The connection of the radiator to the draft hood is through a hollow upwardly extending portion, say a pair of upright tubular extensions l3, E9 of the radiator. These pipes are disposed at the two ends of the jacket and are spaced from each other so as to leave a rectangular window through the radiator, this being defined by the top of the main section 21 of the radiator, the two pipes and the bottom of the draft divert'er.

A damper support clip 22 is fastened to the underside of the draft diverter at the top of the window, and comprises a metal sheet having longitudinal V-shaped channels on its sides (see Figs. 2 and 5). From this clip, two dampers 23, 24 are hung.

The first damper 23 is largerin outside dimensions than the window and is mounted on the back of the window, 1. e. adjacent the heated air outlet on the back of the heater. This outlet is rectangular and the first damper is large enough, in outside dimensions, to cover the outlet and close it substantially completely. However, the first damper has a cut-out 2! portion in the center. This cut-out portion, which gives the damper a U-shape, is somewhat smaller in area than the window.

The second damper 24 is mounted in the window.' It is generally rectangular in shape and of such size that it will swing through the window and close the cut-out portion of the first "damper when it engages it. To the latter end,

through the'window intocontactwith the first damper or in the opposite direction to act as a closure (complete or partial) for the second hot air outlet at the front of the heater. The movement of the second damper is controlled by a rod 30 which passes through a slot 31 in the damper and is disposed perpendicular to the plane of the wall. This rod is in reality a screw with a very steep flight, the screw portion being formed by winding a steep wire spiral 32 around the rod' and welding it into place. The rod may project through either or both of the hot air outlets, but in the case illustrated it passes out through the rear outlet, being journaled in the grill which covers the outlet. An annular stop 34 is welded on the rod adjacent the outlet to prevent endwise movement of the rod, and a control knob 36 or handle is firmly aflixed to its outside end. When the knob is turned the spiral threads turn in the hole in the second damper and swing it in the desired direction.

When both dampers hang vertically, both air outlets or passages are open. Hot air from the front of the annular chamber surrounding the radiator passes out the front or main outlet, while hot air from the rear portion of the register passes out the rear outlet. If the fiow of hot air through the rear outlet is to be interrupted more or less completely, the second damper is swung through the window (to the right as viewed in Fig. 2), this movement be ing continued until the first damper is moved over to seal the rear air outlet, as indicated in dotted outline in Fig. 2. When this position is attained the outside edges of the wings on the second damper and its bottom edge, abut the first damper and block off its cut-out portion. With the dampers in this position, flow of hot air out through the front outlet is unobstructed, and the rear outlet is sealed.

If the flow of hot air through the front outlet is to be obstructed, the second damper is swung in the opposite direction until it partially or completely closes the front hot air outlet. Under these conditions the first damper hangs vertically, and hot air from the front of the heater is free to pass through the window, through the cut-out portion of the front damper and thence through the rear outlet together with hot air from the rear of the radiator; I

The damper structure of the invention is simple and inexpensive to construct and positive in its operation. No matter how the control mechanism is manipulated, it is impossible to close both hot airoutlets at the same time. Thus dangers of burning out the heater or starting a fire in the wall in which it is mounted are minimized.

When the dampers hang vertically in their normal position, the second damper substantially blocks the window, so that the flows of air through the front and rear of the heater are substantially independent and the heat is more or less equally divided between the two outlets. When the second damper is moved to the right as shown in Fig. 2, to bring about the closing of the first damper, flow of hot air from the rear of the radiator to the front outlet takes place through the window and no stagnant spaces,

which might become overheated, are developed.

Conversely, when the second damper is swung to close the front outlet, flow of hot air from the front of the radiator to the rear outlet takes tomove in either direction, i. e. toward front or rear. The front damper 4| is hung just outside the window and is larger than the window, so that it can not swing into it. The front damper has a cut-out portion 42, as described previously with reference to Figs. 1 to 5. The rear damper 43 is substantially identical with the front damper. Both are hinged at the top from a hanger 44. The center damper has two sets of triangular wings 45, 56.

If thecentral damper is swung clockwise, as viewed in Fig. 6, it will touch the front damper and swing it over to close the front hot air out let, at the same time covering and sealing the cut-out portion of the front damper. The triangular wings close the space between the main damper surfaces. A similar interaction with the rear damper takes place if the central damper is swung counterclockwise.

The apparatus of Fig. 6 has the advantage that it may be employed to close with substantial completeness either of two hot air outlets, both of which are larger than the window through the radiator.

We claim:

1. In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which comprises a hollow jacket having front, back and side walls adapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket, a hollow combustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be connected to a flue disposed in the wall above the jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaced from both its front and itsback walls to provide front and rear ducts through which air rises upwardly as it is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending portion of the radiator, the latter being so shaped as to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet through the window and contact the first damper and move it in the direction of the rear hot air outlet, and swing in the opposite direction toat least partially obstruct the front hot air outlet conduit and means for swinging the second damper in either direction.

, 2. In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which comprises a hollow jacket having front, back and side wallsadapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket, a hollow combustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be connected to a flue disposed in the wall abovethe jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaced from both its front and its back walls to provide front and rear ducts through which air rises upwardly. as it is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending portion of the radiator, the latter being so shaped as to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet conduits, a first damper disposed in the jacket to the rear of the window and being larger in at least one dimension than the window, the first damper being hinged from above and adapted to swing to the rear and at least partially obstruct the rear hot air outlet conduit, a second damper mounted in the window and hinged from above and of such size and so positioned that it will swing through the window and contact the-first damper and move it in the direction of the rear hot air outlet, and swing in the opposite direction to at least partially obstruct the front hot air outlet conduit, the first damper being provided with a cut-out portion opposite the second damper, and means. for swinging the second damper in either direction.

3. In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which comprises a hollow jacket having front, back and side walls adapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket, a hollowcombustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be connected to a flue disposed in the wall above the jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaoedfrom both its front and its back walls to provide front and rear' ducts throughwhich air rises upwardly as it is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending'portion of the radiator, the latter beingso shaped as to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet conduits, a first damper disposed in the jacket to the rear of the window and being larger in at least one dimension than the window, the first damper being hinged from above and adapted to swing to the rear and at least partially obstruct the rear hot air outlet conduit, a second damper mounted in the window and hinged from above and of such size and so positioned that it will swing through the window and contact the first damper and move it in the direction of the rear hot air outlet, and swing in the opposite direction to at least partially obstruct the front hot air outlet conduit, the first damper being pro-' vided with a cut-out portion that .is overlapped by the second damper when the latter is swung forward, and means for swinging the second damper in either direction.

.4. In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which" comprises a jacket having front, back and side walls adapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket','a hollow combustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be; connected to a flue disposed in' the wall above the jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaced from both its front and its back walls to provide front and rear 'ducts through which airrises upwardly as it'is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending portion of the radiator, the latter being so shaped as to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet conduits, a first damper disposed in the jacket to the rear of the window and being larger in at least one dimension than the window and only partially obstructing the window, the first damper being hinged from above and adapted to swing to the rear and at least partially obstruct the rear hot air outlet conduit, a second damper mounted in the window and hinged from above and of such size and so positioned that it will swing through the window and contact the first damper and move it in the direction of the rear hot air outlet, and swing in the opposite direction to at least partially obstruct the front hot air outlet conduit and means for swinging the second damper in either direction comprising a screw threaded through the second damper and extending transversely thereof in the jacket to a point outside the wall.

5. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the screw extends inwardly from the rear of the jacket and engages only the second damper.

6. Apparatus according to claim 4 in which the thread of the screw has a steep pitch so that the second damper is swung through a large are by a small turning of the screw.

'7. In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which comprises a jacket having front, back and side walls adapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket, a hollow combustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be connected to a flue disposed in the wall above the jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaced from both its front and its back walls to provide front and rear ducts through which air rises upwardly as it is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending portion of the radiator, the latter being so shaped as to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet conduits, a first damper disposed in the jacket to the rear of the window and being larger in at least one dimension than the window and only partially obstructing the window, the first damper being hinged from I above and adapted to swing to the rear and at least partially obstruct the rear hot air outlet conduit, a second damper mounted in the window and hinged from above and of such size and so positioned that it will swing through the window and contact the first damper and move it in the direction of the rear hot air outlet, and swing in the opposite direction to at least partially obstruct the front hot air outlet conduit, the first damper being larger than the second damper, and means for swinging the second damper in either direction;

8.In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which comprises a jacket having front, back and side walls adapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket, a hollow combustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be connected to a flue disposed in the wall above the jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaced from both its front and its back walls to provide front and rear ducts through which air rises upwardly as it is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending portion of the radiator, the latter comprising two pipes on the sides of the radiator and spaced from each other to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet conduits, a first damper disposed in the jacket to the rear of the window and being larger in at least one dimension than the window and only partially obstructing the window, the first damper being hinged from above and adapted to swing to the rear and at least partially obstruct the rear hot air outlet conduit, a second damper mounted in the window and hinged from above and of such size and so positioned that it will swing through the window and contact the first damper and move it in the direction of the rear hot air outlet, and swing in the opposite direction to at least partially obstruct the front hot air outlet conduit and means for swinging the second damper in either direction.

9. In a heater for disposition in a wall, the combination which comprises a jacket having front, back and side walls adapted to be mounted in the wall, inlet means for admitting air into the jacket, a hollow combustion type radiator having a hollow upwardly extending portion adapted to be connected to a flue disposed in the wall above the jacket, the radiator being mounted in the jacket and spaced from both its front and its back walls to provide front and rear ducts through which air rises upwardly as it is heated, hot air outlet conduits in the front and rear respectively of the upper portion of the jacket to discharge hot air on opposite sides of the wall adjacent the hollow upwardly extending portion of the radiator, the latter being so shaped as to leave a window connecting the front and rear portions of the jacket between the hot air outlet conduits, two dampers disposed in the jacket respectively to the rear and to the front of the window each being larger in at least one dimension than the window and only partially obstructing the window, the two dampers being hinged from above and adapted to swing respectively to the rear and to the front of the window and at least partially obstruct the adjacent hot air outlet conduit, a second damper mounted in the window and hinged from above and of such size and so positioned that it will swing through the window and contact either of the first two dampers and swing it to at least partially obstruct the adjacent hot air outlet conduit and means for swinging the second damper in either direction.

JOHN H. HOLLINGSWORTH. KARL L. BEDELL.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 509,332 Smith Nov. 21, 1893 765,423 Glantzberg July 19, 1904 2,475,028 Johnson et al. July 5, 1949 

